Bake A Buttery Sweet Bread With The Best Crunchy Crust

This Independence Day, spend time celebrating our country with the island’s best dishes. Old favourites that remind us all of the culture, history and beauty of Trinidad and Tobago will grace tables across the nation of Friday. If you’re in need of inspiration, take a look at our savoury and sweet very Trini dishes.

SWEET BREAD

Sweet bread is a much-treasured, only grandma-can-make-the-best, breakfast, afternoon snack and dessert in the country. The crust of the sweet bread becomes crunchy from a sprinkle of brown sugar, while the inside is buttery, sweet and perfectly textured from chewy raisins, mealy coconut and bursting cherries. Put the kettle on, butter a slice and enjoy any time of the day.

Yields: 10 Servings

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ¼ cup flour 
• 1 ½ cup grated coconut (fresh, not sweetened) 
• 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder  
• ½ teaspoon salt 
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg  
• 1 pinch ground clove 
• ¼ cup raisins  
• ¼ cup candied cherries  
• ¼ cup mixed peel  
• ½ orange, zested  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten  
• ½ cup evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla  
• ¼ pound or 4 ounces butter, melted
• For syrup 
  • 1 tablespoon sugar  
  • 1 tablespoon water  
  • Sugar for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease one loaf pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients.
3. Add in the dried fruits and zest; give a good stir.
4. Add in all of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Batter will be thick.
5. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife is inserted and comes out clean.
6. In a small bowl, mix sugar and water and pour over the sweet bread. Sprinkle generously with sugar and pop into the oven for 3 more minutes.
7. Remove from the oven allow to cool for a few minutes. Slice and enjoy!